Tinder is turning 4

It wasn’t all that long ago since online dating was perceived as taboo. The notion was that anyone who utilized dating websites was resorting to desperate means to find a partner and that if they couldn’t chat someone up in real life, they wouldn’t succeed via technological means either.

There has been quite a sea change in recent years, though, and one of the main drivers in this shift of perception has been the globally successful app Tinder, which in September marked its four-year anniversary. The app had to win over some initial detractors who cited the desperation argument, but the reality is that Tinder took very little time to evolve from an app aimed at American university students to a global audience of almost any age.

How has Tinder enjoyed a degree of success not enjoyed by any other online dating platform? Its simplicity of use has been often mentioned – rather than having to input dozens of personal details, setting up a profile is as easy as linking it to your Facebook account, so the app does the legwork for you. When it comes to expressing an interest in another user, all you have to do is swipe right. Also, you won’t be able to message users unless they’ve liked your profile in return, so the likelihood of sending ‘shot in the dark’ opening messages is significantly minimized.

Tinder has also been ahead of the game in targeting smartphone users only. While older competitors have had to introduce apps to adapt to the smartphone market, Tinder realized that pouring resources into a desktop site would be wasteful and hence concentrated solely on mobile. The end result is an app which is simple and tidy in its layout, yet wonderfully complex at the back end with its location-based algorithm that targets potential matches based on GPS data. It’s a formula that has persuaded more than 40 million people worldwide to download the app, which can lay claim to sparking 1.5 million in-person dates.

Having made a revolutionary impression on the dating sphere, Tinder has indicated that it plans to expand into augmented reality by enabling nearby friends to arrange meet-ups and issue reminders as of people’s names and interests. It’s a brand that certainly seems to have quite a bright future ahead.

The story of Tinder thus far is told in this striking infographic from Carvaka (https://carvakasextoys.co.uk/) which was produced to coincide with its fourth anniversary. Check it out:

Related

I'm more about fun than about IT. I love to write about tech and to play around with new gizmos. One thing I learned in life, things are not always what they seem to be. What may start as a good client-product relationship may end up in tears. Luckily, I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen to you.